MOORHEAD – On Nov. 14, the Center For Holistic Health and Sonder, a student organization that focuses on disability and mental health advocacy, held a panel presentation in the Centrum.
The presentation began by defining a disability as ‘a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.’
Disabilities can include physical injuries, birth defects, chronic illnesses, mental health conditions, learning differences and much more. According to the presentation, there are 1.3 billion persons with disabilities worldwide, and disabled is the only identity group that anyone can become a part of at any time. Dealing with a disability can be difficult, but there are ways that students can find support while attending Concordia College.
One way to find support is to get a letter of accommodation from the Center For Holistic Health. Letters of accommodation can cover academics, attendance, housing, emotional support animals and much more.
Alison Gronseth, the Disability Services Coordinator, explained that there are two steps to obtaining one.
First, a student would meet with Gronseth to discuss accommodations they might want.
Second, a student would have to provide documentation about their disability from a medical provider. Students don’t need documentation right away, but it is required later on.
Finally, a letter of accommodation would be issued.
The panel, which included Concordia students Hadlie Dahlseid, Sarah Shrider and B. Petry, discussed their personal disabilities, how to support disabled people, preferred language and their experiences with faculty support at Concordia.
Together, they explained concepts such as Spoon Theory: a theory that explains disabled people’s energy levels as “spoons”. Spoons can be used in a variety of ways, such as showering or going to work, but people have to be careful that they don’t go over the number of spoons they have every day, so they don’t feel unwell the next day.
Spoon theory is a simple way to explain living with a disability to someone who isn’t disabled and many people refer to themselves as “spoonies.”
The panelists also spoke about what they have learned about themselves after being disabled. Shrider shared that she learned that she was stubborn and was feeling internalized ableism after being diagnosed with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). According to the American Psychological Association, ableism is defined as prejudice and discrimination toward people with disabilities. She also learned how to manage her ‘spoons’ better.
Dahlseid stated that she learned to trust herself and stopped apologizing for having Autism, ADHD and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS). Petry explained that they mourned the life they could have had if they weren’t diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, ADHD and Anxiety.
People with disabilities face many difficulties, but learning about people and their experiences living with disabilities can lead to acceptance and understanding.
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